Suon Phalla, 23, comes from Kokrersey village near Siem Riep. He has 5 siblings, 3 sisters and 2 brothers. They are all farmers, like their parents. When he was young, he helped his parents by looking after the cows. Since the field was far from his house, he left at dawn and returned home at dusk. He studied at primary school, but this was far from his house, and he had to walk there. Family life was always difficult, because there was always lots of work to do, but never enough money. He now lives in Siem Riep town, and rarely sees his family, and he misses them a lot.

He is now in his first year at Build Bright University, majoring in management. He thinks that he will be able to get a good job after graduation. He envisages that if he becomes manager, he will be able to instruct and educate the people working for him, and improve their lives. Finding money for university was hard. He works at the local radio station 6 days a week to make ends meet, but the Dollars for Scholars scholarship has proved to be an invaluable resource for him.

For his scholarship project he chose teaching, since he already had experience teaching English at high school. He enjoys teaching English at Wat Thmei. Firstly because this makes him practice his English constantly and secondly because he thinks that the free classes are an excellent idea, and that an education in English is a prerequisite for getting a good job. He also thinks that providing a free education for poor people will bridge the widening gap between the rich and poor in Cambodia. There are many poor people in Cambodia who, although intelligent, do not have the time or money for a formal education. It is apparent to him that tourism is a good thing in Siem Reap, because it provides money to support the government and provides many jobs for the people living in Siem Reap. Knowing English will help them in this.

Although quiet, Suon Phalla is an amicable person that gets on well with everyone, whether Cambodian or foreign, rich or poor.